DECLARATION
OF BRUSSELS

Approved by the delegates
representing the members of the European Association of former Members of
Parliament of the Member States of the Council of Europe

The European
Association of Former Parliamentarians of the member states of the Council of
Europe:

thanks the European Parliament Former Members
Association (FMA) for hosting the Colloquy in the premises of the
European Parliament, the only EU institution elected directly by the people,
the EU's major instrument for scrutinising democracy, and the body for
deliberation on Community legislation.

recalls that its work is entirely in keeping with
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, the Council of Europe European
Convention on Human Rights (1950), the United Nations International Pact on
Civil and Political Rights (1966) and the Universal Declaration on Democracy,
adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in 1997 as well as the Charter
of Fundamental Rights of the EU.

emphasises
that the Brussels Colloquy aims in particular at the strengthening ofdemocratic institutions and the participation
of citizens. The principles of liberty and the respect of human rights must be
respected by the governments. This colloquy’s goal is to attract attention to
the need for a totally new global equilibrium based on democracy and taking
account of the effects of globalisation and the development of emerging
countries.

A FEW REMINDERS

A - A FOUNDATION OF SHARED VALUES: THE BASIS OF
DEMOCRACY

Democracy
is an ideal as well as a goal, based on fundamental values shared by all
open-minded peoples on the planet, regardless of cultural, political, social or
economic differences.It is founded on
values such as the inviolability of human dignity, freedom, respect for human
rights, the rule of law, gender equality, solidarity and social justice,
protection of natural foundation of life, tolerance, freedom of religious
belief, respect for minorities, cultural diversity, and peace.

Democracy – the government of the people, by the
people and for the people – is based on essential principles: the individual
participation and responsibility of citizens, which implies the existence of
representative institutions at all decisional levels.Democracy comprises social, economic and
cultural parameters which facilitate free and equal political choice for all
and unrestricted freedom of expression and of the media.

The
future of democracy cannot be dependent on the specific situations of each
country. We observe that, too often confronted with various interpretations
with reference to traditions, religions and the political regime, in many of
the world's countries, democracy is far from being successful.

In
the conclusions of our Rome Declaration of 30 November 2002 on 'Shared European
values underpinning European construction':

‘'The former
parliamentarians are convinced that a unified and structured Europe is in a
position to rise to the challenges of globalisation not only in the economic
and social, but also in the political and legal fields. Globalisation of
democratic values must be promoted as well as a social and ecological market
economy where sustainable human development and the rights of future
generations form the reference point of a global politics offering a decent
life to all human beings of the present and future generations.”

B - SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY ARE
CHALLENGED BY GLOBALISATION

Globalisation is
challenging some of the foundations of democracy in its'earlier' definition:

The
rapid surge in new information and communication technologies, and particularly
of the Internet, has allowed access to the 'global village'.

However, abuse and manipulation are blatant in many
fields such as the challenging of the protection of privacy, identity theft and
all forms of digital criminality. Transgressions originating in States
themselves can also happen in these fields.

The
debts crisis has highlighted the decisive influence of the intervention of
international financial institutions and of rating agencies, which crystallizes
the feeling citizens have of interference in and supervision over national
affairs, and even of being placed under regulation

Alongside the positive horizons that are opening up
(e.g. swifter communication, international aid, promotion of trade…),
globalisation is increasing the constraints on the autonomy of States and
groupings of States in a context where, internationally, the necessary
institutional conditions do not exist for the exercise of democracy.

Faced
with intransparency and complexity of power structures, citizens wish to
participate in decision-making. The recent protests and rebellions have
highlighted the ever greater influence of social networks; plurality of
opinions is being expressed to a greater extent outside the representative
institutions.

PROPOSALS

1. The role of political institutions and of their
representatives is decisive in creating and sustaining a democratic framework
in each country, locally, regionally, nationally and also at the inter-State
level.

Yet the importance of
elections today appears ever more limited, especially regarding social and
economic issues where those in power appear to have the least room for
manoeuvre. The rise in the abstention rate can be explained largely by this
feeling of incapacity. However, the correct operation of democracy requires
electoral participation of a significant if not massive scale.

We recall that the key
element in the exercise of democracy is the periodic holding of free and fair
elections with secret balloting being guaranteed to ensure the people's will is
expressed. These elections must be held on the basis of universal suffrage so
that voters can chose their representatives in conditions of equality, openness
and transparency. Therefore civil and political rights are essential, and more
specifically the rights to vote and to be elected, the rights to freedom of
expression and assembly, access to information and the right to organise
political parties and carry out political activities.

2. We propose
strengthening the representative democratic institutions by adapting them to
the new context, for example by taking account of the emergence of social
networks, which now compete with the traditional forms of public expression. To
ensure that the idea of representative democracy retains its appeal, we need to
open up the political system to permit greater public participation, and to
launch a campaign to promote civic education. The interactive media available
today can make a key contribution to modernising and supplementing
representative democracy by boosting transparency and providing simple channels
for involvement and participation. The legitimacy of a democratic community
must not be weakened by allowing citizenship to be purchased.

We propose at the same
time starting work in our association to define the new instruments to be
implemented with a view to a concrete roll-out of participatory democracy
including the new techniques of communication.

3. To be considered fully
democratic a power must be subject to oversight systems.

We propose the
implementation of advisory boards to public administrations at all levels,
framed by legislation on transparency, in order to prevent the corruption and
influence of pressure groups of whatever kind .

We also propose that the
organisation, financial management, funding and ethics of political parties be
duly regulated in an impartial manner to ensure the integrity of democratic
processes as recalled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in its Universal
Declaration on Democracy of 16 September 1997, and that the rights to access
information on the activities of elected representatives be acknowledged.

4. The right of citizens'
initiative has been recognised at the European level by the Treaty of Lisbon by
enabling a million citizens to submit a proposal for a European legal act
necessary to implement the Treaties, but the Commission keeps the power to
decide on the opportunity of going forward with said initiative. In no case can
the European Parliament evade its historic role of driving force in the
European construction process. It remains the place of popular sovereignty
across the whole European Union.

We therefore propose that
the European Parliament facilitate a relaunch of the citizens' initiative laid
down by the Treaty of Lisbon and initiate a reform of the citizens' initiative.

5. The European
Parliament should also be strengthened by creating the post of an independent
EU representative for fundamental rights, to be elected by the European
Parliament.

6. It is of similar
importance for Europe’s democratic architecture that the powers of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe be strengthened by giving the
Assembly the right to nominate candidates for the election of the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe and the judges of the European Court of Human
Rights, and by providing it with additional consultation and decision-making
rights regarding its own budget.

7. One of the challenges
to be resolved by parliaments is to ensure a proper balance between freedom and
the right of the individual to determine the use of his or her data, the need
to protect the dignity, privacy and reputation of other individuals and the
community as such and ensure its security.

8. We propose that the
major decisions concerning the population be taken after consultation and not
by unelected bodies over which, and it's the most worrisome aspect, citizens feel
even those governing them no longer have any influence. Citizen expertise must
be able to be exercised fully, in particular by guaranteed access to prior
objective information especially regarding public projects. These consultations
represent an essential offering of participatory democracy. These decisions can
concern for instance the infrastructure in the respective countries, where applicable
beyond the borders, the construction of roads, electrical networks, etc.

9. Citizens' knowledge of
decisions is a key element of democratic life. This supposes impartial and
complete information with an open debate.

We propose that the
participation of citizens in public life, and especially their rights to
education and knowledge, be recognised and their roll-out promoted; for example
: some measures could be adopted like the publication of the proceedings of the
EU Council when it deliberates on legislative acts as does the European
Parliament.

10. A cautious expansion
of participatory elements at all levels does not run counter to representative
democracy. However, we reaffirm that the political heart of democracy is the
parliament as we statedin our
‘Declaration of Malta’ of 2 November 2012. Parliaments must therefore
strengthen or regain their position as the central forum for public and
political debate, and perform its other main functions effectively and
responsibly – such as the passage of legislation, adoption of the budget,
scrutiny of the government’s work, its elective powers, and involvement in
foreign and security policy.

11. The globalisation of
democracy must impose itself on the globalisation of the economy.

If the desire is to
increase the capacity of citizens to exercise a certain power over phenomena
developing at the global level without their involvement, new modes of
political organisation must be set in place internationally and account must be
taken of the new societal requirements demanding more democracy, transparency
and integrity of financial markets.In
any case Europe must set priority to regain economic competitiveness on a
global scale.

We therefore propose that
States support the creation of a Parliamentary Assembly of the United Nations e.g.
supervising the major financial institutions, IMF and World Bank, so as to
promote progress of world governance along a democratic track. There must be a
clear and transparent monitoring of the role played by the WTO. The
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe should also monitor the
European Investment Bank (EIB) as it is done by the European Parliament.

12. As the debt of
advanced countries has reached unprecedented levels, its impact on growth is today
more uncertain than previously and therefore affects the democratic balance of
the countries concerned and also of all the world's countries.